Coebt-shelleb



UNTTE JOSEPH H. DERBY, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORN-SHELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To M Z whom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrri. H. Dram, of Leominster, in the county ofiVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulMachine for shelling Corn; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full and exact description.

The machine consists of two bottom pieces, 3 feet long, each 2 inchessquare, marked I, upon the plan hereto annexed, into which are formed,two hind, and two fore posts; all 2 inches square. The front posts are 3feet high, marked L, on the plan. The two back posts are 2 feet high,marked K, on the plan.

The box, marked M on the plan, is to receive the corn, after it isshelled, and out of which, the corn passes, by means of a spout, in therear, marked N, on the plan. This box is 2 feet long, and 14: incheswide. In the rear, it is 20 inches deep, and in the front, 12 inches,and is placed between the back and front posts, a little inclining tothe rear, so that the corn will readily run out of said spout, see N.The top, of said box, is level with the back posts. Immediately in frontand center, between the two forward posts, and fastened on to the twocross bars, marked R on the plan which run across, and are framed intothe two forward posts,stands a perpendicular sheath, marked 13, on theplan, for the reception of the piston or punch, marked A, on the plan.This sheath, when closed, is in the shape of a small timber, about 5inches wide, 2 inches thick, and 28 inches long; with a hole through itlengthwise, large enough to receive an ear of corn, and is made, bytaking two narrow pieces of thick boards, both are grooved, so when puttogether and fastened with screws, they form an orifice, like the barrelof a gun. About half way down said sheath, (see 13) and on the frontside thereof, the front half of said sheath is cut, and the lower partis made to open, being stayed up by 4 slides, (marked V on the plan) oneabove the other, and let into a bevel, on each side of the sheath. Theslides are about one inch wide, and inch thick. The twoupper ones areabout 5 inches long, and the two lower ones are about 3 inches long. Theslides are made fast at one end, to the movable part of said sheath,running back through a let in on the side of the back part of thesheath, cut square on the bottom, and dovetailing at the top. The frontlower 2,837, dated November 10, 1841.

half of said sheath, (stayed up as before said) is made to open by thehand, by means of a strap, mane fast nigh the top, and when opened, seeU, on the plan, the unshelled ear of corn is put in, with the otherhand. As soon as the ear of corn put in, the opening part of the sheath,see C, is closed by means of strings, or leather straps running backfrom the ends of the slides V (which are made fast to the movable partof the aforesaid sheath) and fastened to a wooden spring marked E, onthe plan set in rear of the sheath, (see B), and fastened to the bottomof the box, see M. This closes the sheath firmly. A piston, or punch ofwood, (see D) of the size of the orifice in the sheath, is brought downupon the ear of corn, by means of a treadle, marked P, on the plan. Thisfoot treadle is fastened to the back right hand post, and running to thefront. At a sufficient distance from the front end of the treadle, awire J, marked on the plan, an inch in diameter, is made to pass throughthe treadle, (see P) and fastened on the underside of said treadle witha screw. The wire, (see I) then passes up through the box, (see M), andis fastened to the end of an iron, marked G, on the plan. This iron isfastened to the piston or punch, (see D) and is steadied by running in acrease made in the center upper front part of said sheath. This creaseis made by the stationary front part being in 2 pieces, left open in thecenter, two eighths of an inch, all the .way up and down the stationaryfront part of the sheath, see B. The aforesaid iron, (see G) is thenturned to the right, at right-angle, for the purpose of reaching thewire, (see I) that the wire may stand perpendicular over the treadle,see P. The foot of man is put upon the treadle, and it is brought down.This act brings down the piston or punch, (see D) upon the ear of corn,forcing it through the sheller, marked X, on the plan. This sheller ismade of several fiat pieces of steel, brought to a point at one end, andset in a circle, with the pointed ends up, a little inclining to thecenter, around a hole made in a thick piece of board, left thicker wherethe hole is, and made thinner around the edges, marked Y, on the plan;fastened by two screws, one at each end, over a hole. which is made in aplank, (market H, on the plan) that is framed at each end into the twoforward posts, (see L), through the fore part of the box, see M.

This brings the orifice (marked W on the plan) of the sheller, see X,directly under the orifice or groove of the sheath, (see A) made for thepiston or punch, see D. The steels, thus arranged, and made to yield alittle, which I call the sheller, (see X) form an orifice, (see TV),just large enough to permit the cob to pass through, bereft of the corn;the corn falling on the outside of the sheller, (see X) into the box,(see M) and out at the spout, (see N,) in the rear. The cob being pushedby the piston or punch, (see D) to the top of the steel points, whichconstitutes the sheller, (see X) and as the points of the sheller areset inclining to the center, therefore to carry the cob through thesheller, a wire, marked Q on the plan, an inch in diameter, is let inendwise, in the lower end of the piston or punch, (see D) being left outfrom the wood, (see Q) about 2 inches. This wire follows the cob intothe orifice of the sheller, (see WV) below the pressure of its points,when its own heft carries it to the floor, out at a spout, under thesheller, marked T, on the plan. The treadle, (see P) and piston, (see D)immediately ascend, ready to re ceive another ear of corn, as soon asthe foot is taken off; by means of a steel spring, marked O, on theplan, being attached to the upper part of the treadle, (see P) andfastened to the back post, see K.

And I claim, as my invention,

The combination of the piston, with the sheath, and sheller,constructed, and arranged, in the manner set forth.

Leolninster September 10th 18%1.

CHARLES H. COLBURNE, M. PERRY.

